Fan base



March 1'?, 1931.

J. LANz 1,796,293

FAN' BASE med Jan. 28. 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 l.. n m gwwwfw 61H0: new S J. LANZ FAN BASE March 17, 1931.

' Filed Jan. 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN LANZ, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE A. C. GILBERT COMPANY, OIE NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND FAN BASE Application filed January 28, 1927.

This invention relates to switch bases for electric fans or the like, and has particular reference to a switch and rheostat construction adapted to be mounted within hollow standard which supports the fan, the construction being relatively simple and inexpensive and applicable to other apparatus where such means for controlling an electric current are required.

One of the objects of the invention to furnish an eilicient and reliable rheostat which can be produced at a minimum cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for mounting the rheostat and switch on a suitable base, and for mounting the assembled rheostat and base within the hollow standard of the fan with which the device is to be used.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a fan base or standard, embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the rheostat and switch base, the fan standard being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a view of the rheostat and switch base taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. L1 is a top plan view of the rheostat and switch base;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the switch base and rheostat;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View on line 7 7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical connections.

The device which I have selected to illustrate and describe as a preferred embodiment of my invention, comprises a hollow standard 10, adapted to support a fan or other electrical apparatus, the standard being closed at the bottom by means of a plate of sheet metal or the like 11. At its lower edge, the standard is provided with a horizontally extending peripheral flange 12, which is Serial No. 164,367.

provided with perforations adapted toregister with perforations 13 in the base plate 11. The base plate ma.v be conveniently connected to the standard byA bushings or the like 14, passed through these perforations-and havin@ expanded upper and lower ends 15 and 16 to engage over the materia-l of the base plate and iiange surrounding the'open ings. These bushings or plugs may be conveniently formed of some soft and pliable material as rubber, so that they may be molded in permanent form and thereafter be sufficiently compressed or distorted at one end so as to pass through the openings, and thereafter expand to engage the edges of the openings to properly hold the parts together. In this instance, the lower ends of these plugs or bushings also serve asfeet upon which the fan may rest. Due to the nature of the material of which they are made, they-will not scratch the surface upon which the fan is placed and will also have a tendency to cling to such surface and prevent any tendencyl of the fan to move or walk when in opera tion. Likewise, due to their resiliency, they will serve to clamp the base plate to the standard tightly. 'I do not claim herein thefeatures incident to the connection of the base plate to the standard since the same have been made the subject matter of my co'-pend ing application for fan bases, Serial 'No 246,591, filed January 13, 1928.

The switch base and rheostat structure are mounted upon the base plate 11 in a manner which will now be described. The switch base 18 comprises a block of insulating material, which may be of porcelain or the like, having a central opening through which is inserted a pivot and securing member, such as the screw 19, upon which is pivoted a switch lever 20, the body portion of which is formed of conducting material. yUpon the end of the switch member is a manipulating handle 21 of non-conducting material. This member is pivoted upon the member 19 between two washers 22 and 22u and held in place and spaced slightly from therbase plate by nuts 23 and 24 threaded upon the screw 19. Upon the switch base 18 are providedanamber of contacts 25,26 and 27 threeof which are shown in the drawings. These contacts may be conveniently formed of headed members, the heads of which form the contact posts, and the bodies of which are passed through openings in the switch base to have the lower ends 28, 29 and 30 turned laterally to engage below the switch base to hold the members in place. ln order to prevent the lower ends of these members making elecl trical contact with the base plate 1,1, the upper surface of the latter may be covered by a sheet of insulating material 31, such as cardboard or the like.

The switch base and the structure carried thereby may be suitably secured to the base plate by lugs 32 and 33, which are struck up from the material of the latter and passed through openings in the switch base to have their upper ends 34 and 35 turned over the upper surface thereof, so that the latter is securely clamped to the base plate 11. rl`hese lugs 32 and 33 also pass through the insulating sheet 31 so that this member is likewise secured against movement.

Mounted on the upper surface of the switch base is a rheostat comprising a coil of resistance wire 37 wound spirally upon a spool shaped holder 38, which may be formed of a suitable insulating and refractory material, such as porcelain. The member 38 is provided with a spiral groove within which the coil 3( is disposed. The spool 38 is, in the form shown, hollow, and may be conveniently mounted upon the switch base 18 by having a central opening provided in the base 39 thereof to receive thev screw 19, the nut 40 upon this screw serving to clamp the parts together.

One end of the coil 37 is connected by the wire 41 to the contact 25, and the other end is connected to the contact post 26 by the wire 42. A second wire 43 leads from the contact post 26'to the fan or electrically operated device designed to be controlled by the switch. Referring especially to F ig. 2, the wires 44 and 45 lead to the source of current which may be derived from an ordinary light socket, the wire 44 leading with the wire 43 directly to the fan. The wire 45 is connected to a conducting member 46 secured at one end below the nut 24 so that it maires electrical contact with Jthe securing member 19 and with tie conducting part 20 of the switch lever. It will bev apparent, therefore, that one of the lead wires passes` directly to the electrically operated device while the other is connected tothe switch lever, and thecurrent carried by the latter to one or the other ofthe contacts 25, 2G and 27.

The contact 27 is dead, and when the lever rests upon this contact, as shown in dotted line position at A in Fig. 8, no current passes through the switch and the fan or other electrical device is inoperative. l/lfhen, however, the switch lever is moved over about the pivot post 19 so that it rests upon the contact 26, as shown in full line position B of Fig. 8, the current passes through the switch lever 2O to the contact 26 and thence through the wire 43 to the fan. ln this instance, the maximum amount of current will be delivered to the fan as the rheostat is without the circuit, and the fan will be operatief. at high speed. lf, however, the lever is moved over to the dotted line position C of Fig. 8 so that the end rests upon the contact 25 the current will pass vthrough the switch lever, the contact 25, the

wire 41, resistance coil 8'?, and wire 42 to the contact 26, from whence it will be carried by the wire 43 to the fan.

lt will be apparent that l have provided a switch base and rheostat of a very compact form and which may be constructed very cheaply, and which will at the same time be efficient in operation. Moreover, l have connected this base to the fan standard in novel and secure manner so that the base plate 11 will be securely fastended to the standard by the rubber plugs or bushings which also serve as feet for the fan, as has already been described. rlhe switch base and rheostat are of course assembled and secured to the base plate 11 before the latter is secured to the standard 10. After the parts have all been assembled, the operating portion 21 of the switch lever 20 will project through the slot 50 in the lower part of the standard 10, so that the switch may be conveniently operated.

Vlhile l have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What claim is: y

1. In a switch and rheostat structure, a flat base plate, an insulating plate mounted on and substantially coeXtensive with the upper surface of said base plate, a switch base of insulating material mounted on said insulating plate, a plurality of contacts carried on van upper surface of said switch base and having portions thereof extending downwardly through said switch base and outwardly between the latter and the insulating plate, and a switch lever pivoted above said switch base and adapted to engage said contacts.

2. In a switch and, rheostat structure, a base plate, an insulating plate supported on an upper surface of said base plate, a switch base of insulating material mounted directly upon said insulating plate, a plurality of contacts on said switch base having portions thereof extending through-said switch base and between the latter and said insulating plate, a switch lever pivoted above said switch base and adapted to engage said contacts, and means for securing said base, insulating plate and switch base together, said securing means comprising slots in said insulating plate and switch base, and integral 5 lugs struck from said base plate and extending upwardly through said slots and having their ends turned over the switch base to force said switch base and insulating plate towards the base plate and secure these parts lo rigidly together.

3. In a combined switch base and rheostat, an insulating plate, a pivot post rigidly secured to said plate and extending upwardly therefrom, contacts on an upper surface of said plate, a switch lcver pivoted on said post above said plate and adapted to enO'age said contacts, a rheostat comprising a hollow spool of insulating material and a resistance element on said spool and connected with cer- 2o tain of said contacts, and means for securing said spool rigidly to said pivot post at a spaced interval from the switch base, said switch lever being pivoted on said post between said switch base and spool, the spacing of said insulating plate and spool permitting said switch lever to be freely operable on said post without interference Jfrom the spool and connections between the resistance element and contacts. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of January, 1927.

t JOHN LANZ. 

